Last month we found out that the fifth LP from the noisy rock experimenters Liars finds them visiting the wonderful world of Sisterworld. Well, now we know much more about the American trio’s new creation. It’s coming out March 9th on Mute and now you can download a riotous track called “Scissor,” via the Sisterworld website. It’s also downloadable above.
Vocalist/guitarist Angus Andrew had this to say about the soft-loud preview track, “Scissors”: “The song is built from some strange vocal interactions I was having with myself. It’s a description of someone realizing their own inadequacies.” Sounds pretty deep, but not too strange from a band that recorded a “story album” about the Salem witch trials (2004’s They Were Wrong, So We Drowned). Hope you enjoy the destruction.
Here’s a stripped down, acoustic version of The Big Pink‘s earworm-y single “Velvet”—filmed in the back alley of Washington, D.C.‘s The Black Cat. Culture blog The New Gay posted the clip. The host gets a puzzled look from Robbie Furze when he accidentally calls him “Elvis.” Good thing the music is sharper the botched intro.
Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson‘s new full-length, And in the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees, is the soundtrack to former Disney character designer Marc Craste‘s animated film Varmints. It’s out now on limited edition vinyl, and in April we’ll get a non-limited CD, via Type.
In the springtime, Jóhannsson will set off on a very rare U.S. trek. Jóhannsson’s tour dates with fellow Icelandic musician Hildur Guðnadóttir are below and watch the cute-animals-meet-apocalypse trailer for Varmints above. The tracklist is here.
Jóhann Jóhannsson:
02-09 Hasselt, Belgium - Cultuurcentrum * 02-10 Turnhout, Belgium - De Warande * 02-11 Mechelen, Belgium - Cultuurcentrum * 02-12 Roeselare, Belgium - De Spil * 04-30 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge 05-01 Brooklyn, NY - Littlefield 05-02 Boston, MA - Brattle Theater 05-03 Montreal, Quebec - L’Astral Theatre 05-04 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club 05-07 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall 05-08 Madison, WI - Majestic Theater 05-11 Vancouver, British Columbia - Biltmore Theater 05-12 Seattle, WA - Triple Door Theater 05-13 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater 05-14 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall 05-15 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
* with Hildur Guðnadóttir
Lightning Dust
“Ho Ho Ho” MP3
Dec 07, 2009
It’s snowing in some parts of Northern California today (rare, but true), so Christmas songs are definitely in order. Mental Beast announced their “Eggnog Experience” mix this week. It features tracks from Nick Krgovich (of P:ano and No Kids), Rose Melberg, Brasstronaut, and Lightning Dust, among many others. Here’s a free download of Lightning Dust’s slight holiday ditty, “Ho Ho Ho,” and go to this link to stream a few more submissions. As you can imagine, “Ho Ho Ho,” is a huge departure from the orchestral and slightly psychedelic folk-rock heard on their latest record, Infinite Light. (Via P4K.)
Anti-Pop Consortium
“Get Lite (Tobacco Remix)” MP3
Dec 07, 2009
Black Moth Super Rainbow leader Tobacco gives Anti-Pop Consortium‘s Fluorescent Black song “Get Lite” a serious re-rub this week. He shoehorns his usual palettle of squishy bass and bright synthwork into a more psychedelic version of the original. Flourescent Black is out now on Big Dada. Check the experimental hip-hop crew’s remaining dates at their MySpace.
“California English Pt. 2” is fluttery B-side to the Vampire Weekend‘s “Cousins” single. (The single is out now in digital format, and comming December 15th for the vinyl heads.) Even for an album outtake it’s pretty dang solid. Download/stream above, via Pretty Much Amazing and We All Want Someone to Shout For. Plenty of gunshot samples and theatrical synths on this one folks.
A track entitled “California English” will also be on Contra, the foursome’s upcoming full-length, due January 12th from XL.
Neon Indian
“Ephemeral Artery” (Daytrotter session) MP3
Dec 04, 2009
Neon Indian‘s Alan Palomo is a busy dude these days. He’s bringing his acid tripping tunes to Europe and New York this month and recently sat down for a chat with Ann from Wood Shop Films’ midly amusing internet video series Breakfast at Sulimay’s. Now we get the usual next step for any hyped band: a Daytrotter sesh! Download a chip tune-y version of “Ephemeral Artery” above and grab the rest from Daytrotter. The band also recorded stripped down takes of “Should Have Taken Acid With You,” “Local Joke,” and the breakout blog single “Deadbeat Summer.” (You need to sign up for their newsletter. It’s worth it!)
Southend-on-Sea’s mysterious experimental-rockers These New Puritans (Jack Barnett [songwriter, co-producer, instrumentalist and vocalist], George Barnett [drums], Thomas Hein [bass, sampler], Sophie Sleigh-Johnson [synth, sampler]) are preparing to release their sophomore LP, Hidden. The new release is coming out January 18th (U.K.) and February 2nd (U.S.) and it’s the follow-up to their impressive 2008 debut, Beat Pyramid. Check out the quartet’s seven-and-a-half-minute video for debut single, “We Want War.” It’s an unsettling, strange clip of cinematography influenced by ballistics footage.
You can also download a free MP3 of the track at the band’s website.“We Want War” will be released January 11th, You can pre-order both releases here.
Last month we found out that the fifth LP from the noisy rock experimenters 
It’s snowing in some parts of Northern California today (rare, but true), so Christmas songs are definitely in order. 
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Neon Indian
